Back in my Arms
by Cannonade
Summary: Dante and Nero have been apart for three months when Nero took a long mission abroad, but finally reunite on Valentine's Day. Dante x Nero, yaoi smut. Summary Sucks!


_**A/N:** This is rather late, I had it done ready to upload last week but I had to move out really suddenly, now I'm in my new place I have the time to upload it. Totally different to other DMC fics I've done because it's set after DMC2._

_**Warnings:** Strong sex (obviously!), maybe OOC on Lucia because I haven't played much of DMC2, Beryl bashing 'cos I don't like her and my views as to why Dante was quiet and mopy in DMC2._

_

* * *

_

**Back in my Arms**

Devil May Cry wasn't the same without _him_. It was much colder than usual and it even seemed a little dark and gloomy. To humans, the smell was still the same; the strong scent of pizza, an occasional aroma of strawberries and an underlying stench of stale beer. But to Dante's senses, his office smelt completely different. _His_ smell was always there, but over the weeks, it had faded into the background and was no longer as strong as it should have been. The place missed _his_ presence and it wouldn't be the same until _he_ returned. And it wasn't just the devil hunting business that had changed. Dante himself was almost a completely different man. His usual air of cockiness and sarcasm had been suppressed by a gloomy, almost bored feeling that was quite alien for the red clad half devil. He never really spoke much to anyone on missions, sometimes because he felt tired, but mostly because he was fed up of being alone. He wanted _him_ back in his arms. But sadly, they had to spend this time apart.

Nero had decided he wanted to make big improvements to his hunting skills in order to better their success on missions. When a complicated overseas mission was dumped in front of them by Lady, the younger hunter jumped at the chance to take it. Unfortunately for Dante, he had been told by his feisty lover that he wanted to take the job alone. The elder had protested against the idea, not really because he was worried it was too much for the kid to handle, but because he didn't want to be without him for such a long period of time. At that point, Nero had been at Devil May Cry for seven years; seven years in which he had been Dante's mate. That was the longest Dante had been with any man and, naturally, he wanted to spend most of his time with him. But in the interest of Nero's development, taking the mission would be a fantastic step for him that would greatly improve his confidence and ability if he succeeded. Those had been Trish's words and Dante had sulked for a good few hours before finally giving Nero the all clear. Of course the younger male was upset to be spending three months away in a foreign country, but at least they could still contact each other via the telephone. The first thing that sprang to the elder's mind was, unsurprisingly, phone sex. It had been enough to keep him sane.

Though Dante had been lucky. Two missions had been handed to him over the course of Nero's absence and they had kept his mind off his loneliness. The first mission seemed fine; he felt more like his usual self as Nero had only been gone a week. However, the instant he met a woman named Beryl, he felt like he died inside... in a horrible, gory way with lots of pain and torture. Unlike Lady and Trish who he was comfortable with, she was straight and had developed an unfortunate like of Dante. Not being in the mood to deal with her, he ignored her advances entirely and pretended he didn't notice just to avoid telling her he was gay. Not only gay, but taken. Even after the mission, which hadn't been that exciting, Beryl continued to hang around. At least Dante had been able to gather some source of amusement from it, seeing as Lady eventually got to the stage where she couldn't stand her. But it didn't last as his devil side began to yearn desperately for his mate. It left him in a very dull, not very talkative mood that didn't even pick up when Lady tried her usual tactics of shooting him back to reality. Of course Trish, being a full demon, picked up on it straight away and even convinced her partner to be _nice_ to him. That had been more of a shock to the half devil, but not enough to pick his mood up. He continued to pine, so the arrival of a second mission was quite welcome.

During this job, he met an artificial devil named Lucia and her mother Matier; at the time he didn't really care much for either of them as he was still pining for his mate, but the mission had been entertaining. He'd never expected to ride into the demon world on a motorbike, but it had given him a fantastic thrill, something his devil side desperately needed. Being amongst other demons for a while had satisfied him; as he was the type of devil that detested being separated from a mate, a good killing spree had made him feel more alive. He returned to Devil May Cry later than he expected, only to be kicked in the face by Lucia and yelled at by her for making her worry. Dante hadn't been surprised after having being used to Lady for so many years, so it was only natural that every woman he met wanted to hurt him in some way. Though at the time, he'd actually felt slight sympathy for Lucia; she had been interested in Trish when they first met, but the blonde full devil had been in a relationship with Lady for years. Though Lucia knew the scene quite well, so when she stayed at the office for a while, Dante had to put up with the red head bringing women back a few nights. A taste of his own medicine, he thought. At least it kept Beryl away, seeing as she was uncomfortable when Lucia tried to flirt with her.

But now, the three months were almost at an end and Dante received the phone call he had been waiting for. Nero was coming home. The mission was a success, he had been paid a sum where his share would knock off a huge chunk of his debt to Lady and Nero was coming home. It was even in time for the couple's favourite day, Valentine's Day. Once a time of spending whole afternoons in bed before trawling the bars at night to find a single man was now a beautiful day, filled with all the romance and sex a man could need. Needless to say, Dante was keenly awaiting the return of his mate, even though it would be late in the evening. But it still didn't stop him from pining. It had been three weeks since he had enjoyed a long, entertaining mission and being alone in the office without Nero's scent made everything worse. He swore to himself to never allow the kid away for more than two weeks again. Well, they'd been together for seven years and Nero wasn't exactly a kid anymore. Hell they had been married five of those and even adopted a son.

Dante smiled as he remembered that. Presently, it was late afternoon of the day of Nero's return and the devil hunter was sat behind his old oak desk, feet relaxed up on the wood with an open video game magazine over his knees and his five year old son nestled against his chest. He ran his presently glove free fingers through his light brown hair, the other hand resting on his lower back to prevent him rolling away. Sighing lightly, Dante's eyes left the sleeping boy for the two framed photos on his desk. The one of his mother had been there ever since he first fixed up the property, but it had been joined by a second. It had been taken after they were married; they'd taken a short break for a honeymoon in the warm south. Both men in the photo were naked save for swim shorts, Dante's noticeably skimpier than Nero's as they cuddled each other in front of the camera. _We're well due another vacation_, Dante thought to himself. He chuckled as he felt the boy in his arms shift in his sleep and nuzzle against the skin on his chest left bare from the open zip.

"Don't worry Angelo," Dante ruffled his son's hair. "You're dad will be home soon."

Angelo was the other reason Dante had been somewhat miserable during the long mission with Lucia. Because it was dangerous, his son's protection was paramount, so he had left him with Lady and Trish for the duration. But it had been what kept him going in the demon world after destroying Argosax. Not only did he need to survive for Nero, but he needed to survive for Angelo. His mate and his adopted son were the only things in life he cared about and no matter how tough things became, he needed to pull through for them. Family was a big responsibility and it was one of the reasons why he was conflicted about asking if Nero would adopt a kid with him. He'd doubted whether he'd make a good father, whether he wanted it or not, but his younger lover had been very supportive of the idea. He'd never been happier in his life.

"I won't let him go away for so long again," Dante noted, more to himself than to Angelo.

"Yeah," the boy murmured groggily. "You can't cope very well."

He chuckled as Angelo tried to sit up in his lap, the five year old rubbing his eyes sleepily. Dante put his feet down off his desk so his son could sit comfortably on his knee, his head still lazily resting against his arm.

"Don't get so cheeky!" he nuzzled his soft hair. "You'll end up too much like me and I'll get scolded. You don't want daddy to get scolded, right?"

Angelo smiled slyly. "It's funny when dad shoots you."

Dante laughed. "I'm never leaving you with Lady again! Everyone just gangs up on me these days, even my own kid!"

He playfully stuck his tongue out. "Then make it less funny!"

"Maybe you should play with your video games more, hmm?"

"Too tired," the kid shook his head and yawned softly. "Just want to wait for dad to come home. Don't put me to bed, okay?"

"Heh, since when should I take orders from you?"

"Because maybe when I'm older I can shoot you in the foot too!"

Dante grimaced. "I'm gonna have words with Lady, she's teaching you some odd things."

"I like Lady. I keep telling her that she and Trish should get married like you and dad."

"Marriage is a touchy subject for Trish."

"Why?" Angelo cocked his head inquisitively.

"You'll understand when you're older."

Dante fully understood the reason. It was the exact same reason he'd been reluctant to seriously date human men. Trish was a full demon and Lady was human; in the future, Lady would grow old and eventually die, leaving Trish with a much longer and very lonely life. The Blonde had been reluctant enough to take her lover as a mate, but they cared about each other too much for her to ignore the urges. Devils lived so much longer than humans, the same went for hybrids, so it was a curse when it came to interspecies relationships. Dante glanced down at Angelo as he started to tug on the zipper of his leather shirt impatiently, his hand once again returning to quietly stroking through his hair. His son would die before both he and Nero because he was only human. But the desire to have a child had been too strong that the thought had been completely ignored. His son would understand it one day, but not today.

While lost in thought, the large double doors to the office burst open, quickly followed by Trish and Lucia. The chill of the mid February air mixed with the warmth from the indoor heating, causing Angelo to shiver slightly. Dante held him a little closer, his inner devil purring soothingly in response to the gesture. Even devils cared for adopted children, as it was something often done; homosexual demons wanted offspring just as much as any other.

"He's still not back then?" Lucia asked, already knowing the answer.

"If he was, do you really think the front doors would be unlocked?" remarked the devil slayer as he shook his head.

"Oh so you do actually bother to lock them from time to time," Trish snickered.

"Ugh, don't tell me!" Lucia looked a little disgusted. "You haven't seen them, have you?"

"Not me, but Lady's had the misfortunate to barge in at the wrong moment."

"You know Dante, you're not very cautious for a devil hunter."

"Hey!" Dante put his hands in the air, theatrically proclaiming his innocence. "She could quite easily save herself the shock if she knocked before entering! If she stopped to listen, she'd easily hear what's going on."

"Wow, you nearly sound like your usual self again," Trish noted.

"Well, with my mate due back anytime, I have to get in the mood!"

"Just make sure you put Angelo to bed first."

"True, he's already walked in on me and Nero after a big event."

Lucia rolled her eyes skyward. "No wonder you said it took you so long to find a place that would let you adopt!"

"See, listen to that?" Dante turned back to his son. "Everyone gangs up on me!"

Angelo giggled. "Dad says it's because you leave yourself open to attack."

"He is right, you know," Trish agreed, smirking with amusement.

"Trish, you better tell your girlfriend that she's been teaching some inappropriate lessons to my kid!" Dante pointed accusingly at the blonde. "I already have him saying its funny when I get shot! You know if a kid with normal parents said something like that, there'd be trouble."

"Well Lady will be round later after she collects her payment from her latest job, so you can tell her then."

"She won't be happy today though," Lucia stated, her eyes flashing evilly.

"Oh yes, in fact neither will Dante."

"Why won't Dante be happy?" the half demon asked.

"Beryl's back from her trip."

"Crap."

Trish glared at him sternly. "Language!"

"Yeah, yeah! He's used to it, aren't you kiddo?"

Angelo smiled as his hair was ruffled. "I didn't hear a thing!"

"She'll be upset if she shows up," Lucia commented, her eyes staring fixedly at Dante with the boy on his knee. "You never bothered to tell her that Nero was your husband and you never said you had a son either. She still thinks that, as well as having a chance with you, you're straight."

"Don't remind me!" Dante growled. "I was hoping she'd just leave me alone."

"You don't understand women at all, do you?"

"Of course not! I'm a man!"

"Nero has no trouble and _he's_ a man," Trish said pointedly, placing one hand on her hip.

"Yeah but he's nice. I'm just an asshole, remember?"

Instantly, Dante felt like hugging his son protectively to his chest and pouting, something that he knew didn't fit with his nature. His devil side had felt rather insecure lately and he reacted excessively moody when people talked to him. It was most likely related to how much he missed Nero, as Trish folded her arms and stared at him sympathetically for a moment.

"Sorry," her apology was sincere. "You're still pining, aren't you?"

"Of course he is," Lucia sniggered. "He hasn't been getting any for three months!"

Dante glared. "Have you had enough of tormenting me yet?"

"Yes, I'm sorry..." though the red head was still smirking. "So, do you still have plans for tonight?"

"Certainly do. I have a few things lined up for when Nero gets home... which includes putting _you_ to bed long before!"

Angelo stuck his tongue out playfully as Dante gently nudged his arm.

"Good, because Lady and I aren't babysitting him tonight," Trish explained sternly. "Any normal day, of course, we're always happy to have him over. But we have plans tonight too and I guess so does Lucia?"

Lucia smirked when the blonde turned to stare at her. "I'm off out of town tonight; while the restaurants are dedicated to feeding the happy couples, the clubs are helping singles like me to have a fun night. The girls won't know what hit them!"

Dante had to laugh. "As much as I hate all this girly talk, I really wish Beryl thought along the same lines as you!"

"Oh I don't," the redhead snickered. "I wouldn't have so much fun with her then."

"Just keep the rest of your planned night to yourself! Angelo's too young for this kind of stuff right now."

"But he's growing up fast; he'll be a teenager before you know it."

"Then I can have a boyfriend too," Angelo beamed up at Dante happily.

"You might not want one," Dante told him seriously. "You might want a girlfriend."

The boy made a disgusted face. "But I don't want girl germs! I like boys."

The man in red had to laugh, despite the sinking feeling still present deep in his chest at being separated from his mate. "I know your dad would shoot me for saying this, but I hope you stay that way! I don't know if could tolerate teenage girls being brought home."

"And you could tolerate teenage boys?" Trish arched an eyebrow interestedly.

"I'm not _that_ kind of pervert, Trish."

"Okay, this conversation just took a weird turn!" Lucia laughed, raising her hands either side of her head in mock protest. "I'm off home to get ready, I'd hate to keep all those ladies waiting... don't want to be too late for the party."

"Okay, have a good night," Trish waved her off as she turned to leave.

Before Lucia could reach out to open one of the heavy double doors, she stopped in her tracks, an interested expression gracing her features. She slowly pushed open the door, not surprised at what she saw. It seemed as though Lady had picked the worst time to show up, coinciding with Beryl returning from her trip. The mixed eyed brunette looked ready to shoot something as she walked alongside the other woman, who talked animatedly as though she couldn't sense the threat radiating from her. Then again, Lucia could only notice such things because she was an artificial demon; senses were included in that package.

"Your girlfriend is in a spot of bother I think," she turned to Trish.

The blonde smiled. "Let me guess."

"You bet."

She smirked and glanced over at Dante. "You're going to have to bite the bullet."

"Remind me again after Lady shoots me," the silver haired male grunted, wishing he could prop his feet back up, slap a magazine over his face and doze off until Nero woke him, his blue talons removing the glossy paper and beautiful, soft lips smothering his own. His inner devil whined lowly in the back of his head, desperate for his mate's touch.

"Well, she might want to shoot something," Lucia commented. "But for once I'm perfectly sure it isn't you. Though it may well be due to the unfortunate issue of Beryl being human. I don't think even Lady could bring herself to kill another human."

"No, but Nero might if you don't tell her to take a hike!" Trish added.

Dante sighed. "Alright, alright! If I'm pushed into telling her, I will."

"I know you don't like telling people because they should realise it themselves, but people like Beryl are just too persistent. For whatever reason, she's into you and I guess she just refuses to see the obvious."

"You don't have to tell someone you're straight," he grumbled.

"I could tell her for you," Angelo offered, despite looking as though he were ready to fall asleep again.

"No, Trish is right. This is my call, kiddo."

"Will I have to tell you that I'm gay when I'm older?"

Dante smiled fondly. "Of course not, only if you're straight."

"I was so surprised that you could raise such a cute kid Dante," Lucia observed with a smile, remembering how quiet and brooding the older male had been when they'd first met. "But I've got to go; whisk Lady off quickly, Trish."

The blonde demon laughed. "Oh I plan to."

On that note, Lady and Beryl walked through the single open door to the office, the older woman's fingers laying dangerously close to the trigger of one of her many guns. Lucia greeting the brunette on her way out before winking briefly at Beryl and smirking. Dante grimaced as he watched the scene unfold, knowing he'd up end up alone with one of the most irritating women on the planet. He actually preferred it when they tried to shoot him. He let out a long breath as Trish sauntered over to her mate, slipping an arm about her waist and whispering something into her ear. Lady snickered under her breath and slid a sideways glance at the man behind the desk. Dante rolled his eyes and shook his head, a pang of loneliness reaching him as he watched Trish link arms with the other woman and walk out of the office, the door shutting behind them. It was now or never, the devil hunter thought as he ruffled his son's hair.

"Did you enjoy your trip?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"It was okay," Beryl replied with a shrug. "Nothing much happened."

"Isn't that why you went away, to take a break?"

"I guess breaks don't suit me much..." she tapered off with a smile as she walked towards the oak desk, her hips swaying slightly. However, she stopped quickly in her tracks when she noticed Angelo sitting on Dante's knee. "Oh? Babysitter now are we?"

"Err... not exactly," the half devil sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, there's a lot of stuff that you don't seem to know about me and... well... from what the girls have told me, you're not very good at judging a guy."

Beryl arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"This is Angelo," he sighed again. "He's my son."

A small part of him almost felt guilty as he watched the woman's eyes widen in shock, but it was very brief the instant his devil side felt smug. As a human, he'd cared little for her advances and, most of the time, he'd been completely oblivious to them. But as a half demon, he'd been subconsciously frustrated by the whole thing.

"And the mother?" Beryl asked quietly, breaking the awkward silence.

"Some eighteen year old girl I've never met," Dante replied.

"Wh-?"

"Angelo is adopted, we're not related by blood. He's human."

The redhead looked relieved. "Then you are single, right?"

"Beryl..." Dante growled with exasperation, hating himself for not acting camp enough or dressing scantly enough to visually express his sexuality in an overly obvious fashion. "The reason why I adopted a kid is because my partner and I can't have children ourselves," he reached over to the desk, Angelo watching with an absent smile as his father took the photo of himself and Nero. "I showed you this, right?"

Beryl moved in closer and observed the picture. "Yeah, your hunting partner Nero."

"He's not just that," he raised a hand, showing off the thin silver band across one finger. "Nero is my husband, we've been married for five years after starting a relationship seven years ago. Not only that, but he's part devil like me; we're mates. Mates for life. Hell even if I wasn't with someone, I wouldn't accept because you're a woman! I've only ever been interested in men, a fact I've been aware of since I was eight years old."

He wanted to continue. He wanted to tell her that, while he was comfortable with them being partners in the devil hunting business, or even friends, she wasn't his type. Even if she decided to have a sex change, he still wouldn't be interested. He'd met men like her before and, even though he'd been happy to jump into bed with them as with most men, he never had any interest in dating them. However, Beryl looked so put out that he didn't feel like making things worse for her. He had no intention of humiliating her, especially when pride had stopped him from telling her the facts in the first place. But it wasn't as if it wasn't obvious. Trish, Lady and Lucia noticed he was gay straight away. Then again, Nero didn't, but that was a little different.

"So..." Beryl began, her voice unusually small. "You're gay?"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice," Dante noted harshly. "Everyone else did."

"Even Nero?"

He inhaled sharply. "No, not right away. But you should have seen the place he used to live; they were religious and uptight about everything, especially sexuality. I'm sure they wouldn't have accepted him even if they knew he was mated to the son of the devil they worshipped! Nero was too afraid to see it in others because he was brought up to hide it in himself. It took a lot of persuasion and teasing to bring us together."

"You must love him, yeah?"

"Very much," Dante let the smile take over his face. "I'm waiting for him now."

"So he's coming back today?"

"Yes, should be anytime now."

Beryl sighed shakily, obviously trying to hide the pricks of tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Well, I guess that's that then. I can honestly say I don't think there's ever been a time where I fancied a gay guy."

"I hope there's no hard feelings, you're a decent hunter after all."

She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe I needed a longer break after all."

Dante growled inside, wanting to tell her to leave him alone while he waited for his mate to return, but he couldn't do it in front of his son. Even though it was plainly obvious she had returned to try and seduce him on Valentine's Day, he couldn't be angry with her. Angelo needed to know to be civil with people regardless to the situation. He didn't have any demonic power, so if he ended up in a fight, he'd get hurt. Even if he grew up to be a big, strong man one day, Dante still wouldn't tolerate it if anyone attempted to injure him.

"Maybe," he said simply, glancing down at the five year old in his arms.

Angelo was just about holding on, but a tingling sensation running along Dante's spine told him he wouldn't need to wait much longer. He closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing his head back slightly as he listened to a deep purring creeping into the back of his mind. Nero was close, perhaps only a few blocks away. The conversation with Beryl had distracted him somewhat, so he could have been within range a few minutes ago. But he was coming, his thick white hair no doubt blowing in the breeze that wafted over Dante's red convertible he'd taken to the airport. Beautiful Nero. So hot. So sexy. _So Mine_.

"You'd better go," Dante told her.

"You sure know how to brush off a woman," Beryl replied, a slight sharp edge to her tone.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Do you brush off men like this too?"

"No, I make sure that the men I sleep with know that it's just for a night or two."

Beryl opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up outside the office. Dante smiled; he knew the sound of that engine anywhere, and he wasn't the only one. With a cheerful cry, Angelo jumped down from his father's knee and dashed across the hardwood floor towards the huge wooden doors. The issue with Beryl now forgotten, the man in red stood up from his chair to fling the doors open wide, ready to welcome home his lover. Things would finally be back to normal.

* * *

Nero grinned broadly as he drove up to his home, his azure eyes catching the red neon glow of Devil May Cry. Three months had been far too long a time to spend away from his sexy mate, especially overseas. Though the mission had been fun and the pay had been far more than substantial, it wasn't worth the longing and the loneliness. However as he thought back to it, it may have been worth it so he could lose his phone sex virginity. His blood had practically burned through his cheeks when the perverted older man suggested the idea, especially when his ears had picked up the sound of a zipper already being tugged down. But it had been pleasant and oh so very, very hot. Certainly worth the international phone charges and it wasn't as if the pay from the job wasn't enough to cover it. Far from it.

Yawning and stretching until he felt his shoulder muscles snap into place, Nero ran the fingers of his human hand through his silvery locks. He'd grown his hair a little longer over the years, quite liking the feel of the lengthier strands brushing against his jaw and the lower back of his neck. He'd even grown a little stubble, a look which Dante said was sexy and more masculine on him. When he turned twenty and left his teenage years behind him, some of the roundness had left his facial features, but he didn't lose the comments from men in the gay clubs about being cute and boyish. Though Dante no doubt wouldn't have minded if he'd lost the compliments. His mate certainly had a jealous streak, but it was one of the many things that made him so desirable. Not being an alpha like the elder, Nero had a submissive side to him and it loved to be protected and cared for by such a loving partner. He snickered as he recalled a conversation he'd had with Dante about some devils' social lives. It involved the fact that if the elder was full demon, he'd be more than likely to have a harem of male devils at his call, with only one of them as his mate, which would be Nero. At the time, the younger had punched him for it, but the thought was somewhat amusing now.

"Daddy!"

Nero's train of thought was instantly shattered by the cheerful young voice that reached his ears. Grinning from ear to ear, he opened the door of the red convertible and stepped out onto the pavement. Five year old Angelo ran towards him at breakneck speed, arms spread out either side as he readied himself to jump into his arms. Not taking the chance that he'd hurt himself, Nero stepped forwards, knelt down and scooped the charging boy up into his arms. The child giggled happily as he was picked up into his second father's embrace, his head nuzzling into the crook of his neck and hands braced against his shoulders.

"Hey kiddo!" Nero greeted his son cheerfully. "Did ya miss me?"

"Yeah," Angelo leaned back to grin at him. "Dad missed you too, he's been sad."

"Huh, sad? Heh, that's a little out of character."

"Trish said it's because he's part demon."

The young man smiled softly. "I can attest that."

He turned round with the kid in his arms, instantly locking eyes with the taller man standing on the doorstep just outside the office doors. His azure orbs softened instantly, his heart beginning to pound in his chest as he gazed upon the second most important thing in his life. Dante looked as stunning as ever, devastatingly handsome with a clean shaven face and part of his fringe falling over one eye. The long tails of his leather overcoat whipped back in the cool breeze, the high collar of the jacket brushing against his bottom jaw in that same air. His knee high black leather boots extenuated the length of his muscular, red leather clad legs that ran up to his wonderfully sculpted torso. He looked graceful, something Nero hadn't really appreciated when they first met over seven years ago in Fortuna. Perhaps it was just because he missed him so deeply, but he seemed more attractive than usual. His eyes fluttered shut briefly as he heard a low, sensual purring in the back of his head, a sure sign that Dante had missed him just as much. It only took him a few long strides to reach the steps to Devil May Cry, his eyes never losing contact with his lover's as he climbed them and stood in front of him.

"Hey old man," Nero murmured, a gravelly undertone emerging as he spoke.

"Hey punk bitch," Dante replied, but a smirk already gave him away.

Without any further need of greetings and pleasantries, the two men meshed their lips together in a secure fit as though they were made for each other. Clichéd though it was, Nero felt so many times it was true. He was made for Dante. There were few half devils in the world and possibly even fewer who weren't out after his soul, so why not? Nero wrapped his human arm about Dante's strong neck, his devil arm still holding Angelo securely against him. The elder's arms slid down to wind around his waist, one hand slipping dangerously close to the cheeks of his ass. The younger moaned softly as he felt the lingering touch, wanting to deepen the kiss but the sound of a woman clearing her throat interrupted him. They pulled back from the kiss, Nero peering into the office and spying an unfamilar woman standing by the old oak desk.

"You're Nero, right?" she asked, a hurt expression creeping to her feminine visage.

"That's right," he replied, not really sure of what to say. "You are... Lucia?"

"No, I'm Beryl."

"Ah," an awkward feeling fell heavily into his chest as he recalled some of the things Dante had mentioned about her. "Well, it's nice to meet you. Maybe Dante will be more sensible now he has four people trying to either shoot him or procure money from him."

"I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Huh?"

Nero felt rather bemused as the woman hurriedly barged past them, dashing down the street as though she were in a hurry to get somewhere. He glanced knowingly at Dante, who had already informed him over the phone that Beryl apparently had a sort of crush on him. It was typical for the man to handle the situation shoddily, but he did begin to wonder what exactly had been said to make her leave so promptly.

"Long story kid," Dante groaned, backing off into the main room.

"Took a rejection badly, did she?" Nero queried teasingly.

"Just a little."

"I hope you weren't harsh, Dante."

"Hey, it went as well as you'd expect. It's not my fault that she was too blind to see I'm as gay as a whole farm of Christmas trees!"

Nero snorted. "Don't tell me you told her you like it up the ass?"

"If you can believe it, I actually wasn't crude about it. I just told her I liked men and that we'd been married for a long time. Hell I even showed her that picture of us I keep on my desk where I'm dressed in the tiniest swim shorts I own and have my arm around you! Even a woman who's blind and deaf would realise!"

"I know it hurts your pride having to say it, but you should have told her."

Dante folded his arms across his chest and almost looked like a sulking child, his lower lip even pouting a little. He looked adorable. "A guy like me shouldn't _need_ to come out to anyone. They should be able to tell! Either that or not care."

"Hey, maybe she only notices the camp, limp wristed stereotype."

"What about the muscular, waxed and vein stereotype?"

"Yeah well, you certainly fit into that category!"

Dante smirked, but his attention was soon drawn to Angelo who yawned sleepily in the arms of his lover. Nero too glanced down at him, holding him tighter as the boy slowly rubbed at his tired eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Come on Angelo," Nero cooed softly. "Let's get you to bed."

Dante's eyes lit up noticeably. "Good plan."

It didn't take long for the pair of loving parents to carefully tuck their son away upstairs in bed. Within seconds, Angelo was curled up snugly with his quilt and a soft toy rabbit on the bed that once belonged to Nero before he became Dante's mate. They closed the door behind them as they quietly headed back downstairs, Dante forcing his mate to remain in the front room as he tended to stuff in the kitchen. Nero smiled and settled comfortably on the red leather sofa, kicking off his heavy brown boots and resting his feet on the coffee table. He'd completely forgotten what today was, so it had been a momentary surprise when Dante said he had something special lined up for him. _He definitely missed me_, the satisfying thought whispered through the back of his mind like a warm caress. He could clearly imagine the strong, manly Dante sitting behind his desk and pining like a puppy for its owner. Devils did pine for a mate after all. Nero hadn't believed it at first, but it came exceptionally clear to him that his demon side was pining the instant the plane took off for foreign soil. It made him think twice on missions when he had to slay problematic demons, wondering how painful it would be for one to lose their mate and survive themselves. In the future, he could see it becoming enough to give up his sword and live as a full demon. He wondered if Dante ever thought along the same lines, being older and more experienced than himself. It was more than likely. His husband was a sensitive man underneath the layers of raw masculinity.

"Hey babe," a seductive drawl sounded behind him.

Nero smiled warmly and turned round in his seat to look at Dante, his nose burning with the scent of rich chocolate and fresh strawberries. In one hand, the older half devil carried a bowl full of melted chocolate and in the other, a plate of the reddest, juiciest strawberries he'd seen for a long time. He hadn't been kidding when he had something special lined up. Gazing adoringly at his mate, Dante settled down next to him, a deep purr rumbling in his throat as he picked up the young man's musk over the aroma of dessert. He'd been gone much too long.

"Hmm, so what have you planned?" asked Nero, his index feature reaching out and running down the open expanse of chest left by Dante's overcoat.

"You need to be patient," the elder purred. "Or you might not get anything."

The younger pouted cutely. "You wouldn't be so cruel... or so patient."

Laughter rumbled in Dante's chest. "You know me far too well."

He reached out for the plate of strawberries, picking one up with his long fingers. Nero watched with anticipation as some of the sweet, red juices dribbled over the rough skin of his digits and dripped back onto the plate. Dante dipped the succulent fruit into the bowl of melted chocolate, his own mouth watering at the delicious combination, but this time he'd be patient. He wanted to treat his lover first. Leaning over to Nero and draping an arm over his strong shoulders, he brought the dripping strawberry to his petal soft lips. Eyes rimming copper with lust, Nero poked out his tongue a tasted the sticky brown goo that threatened to spill and stain his jeans. Slowly, he wrapped his tongue around the fruit, making sure to lick Dante's fingers in the process and took the piece into his mouth. Dante watched with baited breath and tightening trousers as he closed his eyes, eating what was offered and swallowing with a teasing moan of pleasure. _Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, I might end up trying to find out if melted chocolate makes decent lubricant_...

"Oh Dante," Nero whispered lustfully. "I think you've out done yourself."

Nero reached out for a piece of the fruit himself, repeating the same process his lover had done. He pressed the chocolate covered strawberry to his rough lips, licking his own as he watched Dante's tongue slide out. Smirking, he placed it on his tongue, catching his eye and seeing a similar ring of copper. He immediately dived down to suck in the protruding muscle, Dante grunting and trying to prevent his little fireball stealing his share of the dessert. He grasped Nero by the waist and hauled him to his lap, curling his tongue back in an attempt to claim the strawberry. Using his tongue, Nero fought back and tried to steal it, but Dante had been too quick. All he managed to receive in return was a sharp nip to his bottom lip and a chocolate flavoured tongue soothing it afterwards. Eating had never been so sexy.

"God I missed you," Dante breathed, his heart thumping in his chest.

"I can tell," Nero replied huskily, wriggling his hips so their groins rubbed together.

"One thing at a time. I want to share this time with you, not just fuck your brains out."

"Hmm, being romantic are we?" he pecked him on the lips. "So sexy."

"Nothing is good enough for you, my little Valentine."

Nero bit back a snigger as that word fell from Dante's lips. They had shared many of these days together, but that one term of endearment always tickled him. Perhaps it was because Dante had only ever fucked on Valentine's Day before he met Nero, an act that didn't always need romance attached to it. It made the older man seem so sentimental, something which both warmed him heartily and amused him. Reaching back, he carefully speared another strawberry on the tip of his Devil Bringer's index finger, dipping it into the chocolate before bringing it round and holding it up between them. Nero smirked suggestively as he placed the chocolate covered end between his teeth, removing his claw and offering the other end to his mate. With a feral growl, Dante leaned forwards and bit off the offered half, licking some of the sweet juices from Nero's full lips before claiming them in a searing kiss. The younger male moaned deeply into his mouth, forgetting about dessert as he wound both arms round Dante's neck and rubbed their hips together. Fire flashed hotly between them, hands beginning to move and grope desperately as the air surrounding them turned sultry.

Dante pulled away hurriedly, his breathing laboured as he tried to control himself. "Not yet Nero," he murmured, voice slightly shaky from arousal. "I need to prepare something else. Why not finish off here while I go and do it, hmm?"

"Ah, you really know how to charm a man," Nero smiled and softly kissed his lips.

"Naturally," he winked playfully. "I've had years of practice."

Chuckling, the silver haired youth punched him affectionately. "Pervert."

"Born and proud."

Feeling in the best mood he'd been in for days, Dante leaned into another kiss before gently shifting his partner from his lap. Standing up, he was pulled into another kiss, Nero's tongue flicking out teasingly and beginning to test his patience. But Dante lightly pushed him back, shaking his head with a devilish smirk as he made his way towards the staircase.

"Just come when I call," he winked again, licked his lips and disappeared.

Nero laughed lightly under his breath and leaned back into the sofa, his lips still tingling with the sensation of Dante's sweet kisses. The phone sex hadn't been enough, especially when both were often so busy they had to go several days without so much as a few words. He'd needed the other man desperately. When he lay alone in bed at night, staring at the hotel ceiling, all he could think about was how much he physically and emotionally _needed_ Dante. If he could tell his teenage self that he would fall so deeply in love, he would have definitely received a laugh and probably a punch in response. In the seven years they'd been together, Nero had greatly matured and he was no longer afraid or embarrassed to admit he needed someone. Without Dante, he'd just be some lonely guy who'd probably fall into the same patterns as his older companion did when he was younger. Sexual cravings would become a dominating force in his life and he would probably leave a similar trail of men behind him, though undoubtedly smaller. _Much smaller_.

Nero growled deeply to himself as he finished off the rest of the strawberries and cleaned out the bowl of chocolate with his fingers. As much as it was often amusing to torment Dante for being such a slut, the thought always brought out his jealous streak. Imagining the elder hunter trawling clubs and bars, dressed as scantily as possible and flirting outrageously with every man he saw was enough to trigger his possessive nature. The demonic part of him craved possession. Dante was his mate, his and only _his_. For human rationality, it was only natural for him to have seduced as many men into bed as he could, and more than likely been seduced a couple of times himself. The man made a point of explaining how he liked being top or bottom, so long as he got it good and hard. Dante was a true alpha. To him, men were like water; a necessity. The longer he went without, the more he needed. It had been the reason why he'd been so adamant at chasing Nero from the very start. As a half demon, he craved a mate, something which was much more important than crawling into bed with a random stranger. Nero, another part demon who would live as long as him, be as strong as him and understand everything about him, was perfect.

He was quickly dislodged from his thoughts as he heard a thud from upstairs; Dante's way of letting him know to join him. Feeling a stirring in his groin at whatever his lover had planned for him, Nero got to his feet and practically leapt towards the stairs. On his way to their bedroom door, he shrugged off his blue denim coat and unzipped his red leather jacket to reveal a ripped black muscle shirt as he strived to be as nearly naked as possible without appearing too submissive. He shoved the door inwards a little violently, but was instantly paralysed in his tracks at the sites that lay beyond. The king sized bed was draped with the usual red satin sheets, but they appeared a much darker and decidedly richer red than normal due to the different lighting conditions. The bed was surrounded by red candles, the orange glow shivering from the cool draft seeping in through the poorly fitted window. They bathed the room a beautifully erotic light that only made Nero harder for the man that lay in the centre of the large bed. Dante was nearly naked save for one of his black jockstraps, his arms resting on the squashy pillows and his legs spread wide, drawing Nero's azure eyes towards the straining bulge between them. Smirking, he lifted up one of his legs, his feet shifting the bed covers and alerting Nero to the presence of red and white rose petals scattered over them. But it wasn't just the bed, they littered the room and cupboards too. Dante had certainly outdone himself this time.

"Wow Dante," Nero breathed, his voice again turning husky. "You really do know how to be romantic."

"Does it surprise you?" he purred, his hand lightly patting the edge of the bed.

"I guess I should have learned by now not be surprised by anything you do," he smirked as he allowed his leather shirt to slip down his arms to around his feet. "But if I learned to do that, you wouldn't be able to give me so many lovely surprises."

Pleased that his mate's gaze was fixed unwaveringly on him, Nero unfastened his belt buckle and unbuttoned his jeans. He slowly eased the dark blue denim down his thighs until he could step out of them, revealing a pair of perfect, lean legs that had developed so much muscle power over the years of living at Devil May Cry. He tugged his fashionably ripped muscle shirt off over his head and tossed it into the pile of clothes Dante had left, making sure to casually flex his pectoral muscles in the process. He smirked as he smelt his display working as planned, the heady aroma of arousal reaching his nostrils as soon as his shirt was discarded.

"See something you like?" it was Nero's turn to purr seductively.

"Certainly," Dante growled in response. "But I want to top tonight, babe."

"Hmm, even _I_ know when to let the big boy have his way."

Turned on even further by Nero's sexy talk, Dante forced himself to remain on the bed as his lover approached. It had to be romantic, not just a hard welcome back fuck. The bed dripped next to him as Nero sat down, the candle light wafting again in response to the other man's presence. Moaning softly between his lips, Dante reaching out with one hand and cupped the large tent in the young man's blue hipsters, his fingers teasing the head until he felt a blossoming wet patch beneath them. His lips curled back in a warm smile as Nero breathed out a pleasant sound before scooting over and straddling his waist. He allowed his eyelids to slide shut leisurely as Nero leaned down and kissed him deeply, limbs tangling and bodies writhing at the sudden intimate gesture. They rolled around together on the petal dotted sheets, hands gradually pulling at underwear until both men were completely naked and pressed snugly as one. They kissed heatedly, hands exploring and aching cocks rubbing against each other as they lost themselves in acts they had craved since they'd been apart. Eventually, Dante pushed Nero heavily into the mattress and positioned himself over him, chest expanding rapidly as he breathed harshly.

"Fuck I've missed this," he murmured. "Missed you. Your smell... _your touch_..."

Nero moaned loudly into the dimly lit room as Dante sucked at the sensitive skin below his ear, nipping and applying more suction until he left a dark bruise. The younger male's skin would have healed itself of any marks left by the elder over the three months spent apart. He had to reclaim him for the whole world to see. He reached into the bedside table and found the fresh tube of strawberry scented lubricant he'd bought for Nero's return. He wanted the sex to be romantic. He wanted to spend hours on torturous foreplay. He wanted to just bask in the comfort of his lover's presence after being painfully lonely without it. But he couldn't wait. He needed to feel that tight heat squeezing him dry. He needed to pound him roughly to deliver that sweet friction. He _needed_ to spill his seed inside Nero and mark him. Need had to overtake the want.

"Sorry babe," he whispered. "I need this too badly."

"Hey, I know that," Nero replied and soothingly stroked through his hair.

"Damn I just wanted this moment to be so perfect, but..."

"I understand, Dante. Fuck me now, we have all night for the other stuff."

Nodding, Dante squeezed some lube onto his fingers and temporarily discarded the tube, his eyes never leaving Nero's. He ran two slicked digits between the cheeks of his firm ass, biting back a moan as he felt every inch of skin quiver at his expert touch. Nero had been longing for this moment as long as he had. Wanting to spare little time for preparation, he pushed two fingers against the tight ring of muscle, finding a little resistance before Nero bore back against his invasion and he was swallowed up by velvet soft heat. Dante closed his eyes, leaving his fingers buried in right to the last knuckle, taking his time to savour the feel of his lover before he lost it and Triggered violently in a fit of passion that he knew was coming. Nero knew it too as he stilled, cheeks flushed a warm crimson as he observed Dante's reactions.

"I love you," he whispered, the words coming out before he had a chance to process them.

Dante opened his eyes. "Shit that sounds so good," he nuzzled his face into the crook of Nero's neck. "Damn, it really is good to hear your voice. I love you too, Nero. So fucking much you've no idea how miserable I've been without you."

Nero chuckled. "I think I do, old man."

With his clawed hand, now glowing a gentle blue from sheer contentment, he lifted Dante's head so he could kiss him softly. He felt those rough lips move against his and at the same time had to hold back a whimper of loss when the fingers were removed from his anus. Moments later, he broke the kiss and gasped loudly as Dante pressed the fat head of his cock to his stretched hole and slowly pushed deep inside. Nero closed his eyes tightly and arched his back, contracting his muscles around the thick intrusion and feeling a long burn of pain. It had been three months without something as substantial as Dante to keep him occupied, so it should have come as no surprise he'd need to adjust again. But the burn didn't last long, even as the larger man withdrew and slammed home with brutal force. Nero's eyes flew open and he cried out loudly, arms reaching up and encircling the strong body above his to keep them together. Blue orbs locked together in the candle light, both full of an infinitely deep affection that would remain with them until death. That was a devil's passion.

Nero moaned again as Dante set his rhythm, his muscles rippling with each powerful thrust that sent lightning bolts of pleasure through each of them. The younger wrapped his legs around the elder's waist, hands still satisfied to be tangled in his lover's hair as his leaking manhood was trapped between their hard stomachs. The bed began to creak audibly as Dante's pace never faltered, each roll of his hips meeting the other's harder and the lewd slaps of their flesh increasing in volume. Moans and growls escaped into the humid air, the smell of sex, sweat and arousal tempting the devils to surface. Leaning over his mate, Dante laved his hot tongue over Nero's right nipple, teasing the peak with his teeth before nipping and pulling sharply. Sharp talons dug into his scalp in response and a firm palm against his chest pushed him upwards. Not resisting, he moved his body until he could lock eyes with the other hunter, the scarlet rim around his pupil already spreading to the rest of his iris. Dante knew his were the same as he felt the first formations of tough hide spreading along his arms, red claws digging deeply into Nero's slim hips.

"Harder Dante," Nero growled, the demonic edge to his voice already present. "_Fuck me_. You know you want it hard... I don't want to be able to walk in the morning after this."

That was it, they'd bonded intimately for long enough. With a bright flash of crimson, Dante Triggered fully, large wings spreading out behind his back and his body becoming completely covered in dark, black and red hide. Nero howled loudly as he felt Dante elongate and thicken inside him, the surge of power forcing his own devil side to Trigger. His eyes glowed red and fangs lengthened, blue hide stretching across his entire body from his Devil Bringer in a bright azure flash. He pushed against Dante's chest to arch his back in pleasure, furled wings freeing themselves from their prison between his body and the bed. Dante purred deeply, gazing in adoration at the devil form of his mate whilst continuing to pound into him mercilessly. Once he left his teenage years behind him, Nero's Trigger had fully matured and no longer remained as a ghostly apparition behind him. He was more beautiful than ever.

With a possessive and inhuman growl, Dante sunk his demonic fangs deep into the softer blue flesh of Nero's neck, drawing blood and drinking from him like a man thirsting for water. He reached back with both arms and hooked his clawed hands inside Nero's knees, hauling his legs onto his shoulders as he picked up his now animalistic fucking. Growling his mate's name with each hard thrust to his tortured prostate, Nero clawed violently at the expanse of armoured red hide above him, thin trickles of warm blood oozing over his heated flesh. The strong, metallic stench only fuelled their desires for more, devil instincts overriding anything and everything.

"Never again," Dante growled between each steady roll of his pelvis. "Not this long."

"Yeah-ah," Nero panted. "N-Never... _fuck_... too l-long... Dan-te...!"

"Hmm yes... so tight... _yes_!"

"Dante! More! _Dante_!"

The older devil hunter shivered sensually, every sense coming undone at the way the younger moaned his name. The way he made it known who he belonged to. Dante leaned over Nero's rocking body and licked the bite mark clean of blood, his hips undulating faster as he felt himself near sweet release. He buried his face into his neck, wanting to drown in the heavenly scent of his life partner as he grunted the man's name with each thrust. He felt all of his blood rush south at once as Nero roared his name into the room, muscles clamping down tight as he spilled stream after stream of semen across his abs and chest. Biting down on his neck again, Dante growled deeply as he was milked dry, his balls tightening heavily as he emptied himself inside his lover. Blood oozed from his lips as his fangs shorted and he lost his Trigger, losing the almost painful squeeze around his cock as Nero did the same. They both collapsed to the bed, panting hard and caring little for what their bodies were covered in. Sweat, semen, it didn't matter. They were covered in each other.

Dante rolled onto his back, kicking back the covers slightly and settling beneath them to get more comfortable. Nero snuggled under with him, nestling as close as he could to the older man and resting his head on his freshly waxed chest. He lightly played with the semi hardened buds of his nipples with his human hand, watching goosebumps slowly rise to Dante's lightly tanned skin as he did so. He smiled softly and kissed one, nuzzling in closer and taking a few moments to enjoy being so close to his lover.

"Caught your breath yet?" asked Dante with a snicker.

"Romance first old man, remember that one?" Nero replied with a chuckle of his own.

"That wasn't what you were saying a moment ago!"

The younger male rubbed his nose. "Yeah well, heat of the moment. I just want to cuddle first, okay?"

Dante rolled over and pulled him against his chest. "Of course."

He nuzzled him affectionately before placing a light kiss on his swollen lips, briefly brushing out his tongue to taste them. They still held a lingering flavour of chocolate dipped strawberries which made him smile against his mouth. He pulled away after a moment, observing Nero's intense azure eyes before raising a hand to stroke through his soft white hair. It barely seemed like five minutes ago when he was pining for his mate and curling up on one side of the bed while the other remained cold. Now, Nero was back in his arms and everything was perfect again.

"I hope we didn't wake Angelo," Nero remarked, his cheeks reddening.

"He'll be fine," Dante assured him. "He could barely stay awake waiting up for you."

"Then I guess we won't be disturbed."

With a smirk akin to Dante's, Nero shoved the heavier body into the mattress and straddled him, earning a pleasured gasp. He leaned over the elder's hard body and kissed him soundly, purring contentedly as hands massaged their way along his back and into his hair. As they pulled away for air, their gazes locked for another time that night, the same warmth and devotion there as always. _Forget clichés, some things are eternal_.

"Happy Valentine's Day Dante," Nero told him with a smile.

"Just gets better every year," Dante replied with a return of the smile.

Ironic though it may seem, it was truly a match made in heaven, something both hunters silently agreed on as their lips met for another searing kiss, the night still young.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed this and that my idea of Nero having a full devil trigger when he's older isn't too wrong or anything! I would like to write about events leading up to Dante and Nero adopting their kid, but I don't know what I could with it..._

_More of Passions of the Forsaken should be coming soon, but it's delayed again because of me having to move to a different place so suddenly.  
_


End file.
